Having worked at BCG for about seven years in both Sydney and New York, I looked for options to step back from client service while concentrating on my young family. I was impressed by the variety of opportunities open to me and decided to dedicate myself to recruiting. This was a natural synergy for me: having become an expert within BCG by helping clients on a myriad of organisational issues, I saw this position as a great chance to get some line management experience in the same area. 

The recruiting role is important, both to me and to BCG, because people are our most valuable asset. Finding the next generation of talented people to join us is a key priority. Plus, as part of the broader support team, I am able to contribute beyond recruiting to other human resource issues, actually implementing the kind of ideas that we typically leave with the client as recommendations. I am learning about the “pointy end” of making change happen in a way that you don’t always get to see in client service.

I am currently working three days a week. I find the biggest challenge is setting my own personal boundaries. After more than six years in client service, I am used to putting in the extra effort to get the job done to a high standard. Learning to balance what I can achieve in the time I have is a constant tradeoff, but a great lesson in prioritisation!